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I don't have a personal experience of this, but I can tell you, from having a Narcissist/Psychopathic father, that I have always had a feeling inside that something was missing. I have come to realize, through my own counseling and studies in psychology, that this is that part of my inner self that was never nurtured. I can never regain my lost childhood, but I can learn to open myself up to new experiences of love. To answer your question, though, if you think about what causes narcissism, it could be that this emptiness is, indeed, from the lack of nurturing in childhood.
An all-pervading feeling of emptiness, boredom, and aimlessness is characteristic of narcissists.
yes
Taking time to "stop and smell the roses" is not something you'll see with a narcissist. Because of their immaturity they have no appreciation of the little things, the nuances of life which make it rich and full and deep. Because their soul is devoid of the millions of "little things" to enjoy, they are empty. They count on BIG things to enrich them which is why they might be risk takers. Only a crisis, a whirlwind, will make them feel alive and this is why they constantly create chaos in their own life...to feel alive and thus, full. This sense of fullness only lasts until the tornado dies down, then they have to stir up another funnel cloud to revive themselves. Have you ever been in a tornado? It's not fun, but the adrenaline does flow !!

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Suzanne (Zanbabe) Benner

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"Maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be." --Man of La Mancha

This depends on which definition of "narcissist" you were referring to. ------------------------ Extreme narcissism is called Narcissistic Personality …Disorder, and, yes... they exaggerate, need attention, and have a hard time understanding or caring about anyone else. It is part of the disorder. [There are many stories about people in narcissistic relationships in the discussion area. If you have another story, feel free to add it there, but not in the answer area. Thanks.]

A lot of people tend to project their faults on to others. I doubt if it's common for people to project the actual term "narcissism" outside of areas where it has become a co…mmon term of reference such as support communities. However, within those areas, I have observed a significant number of what would appear to be blatantly obvious NPD sufferers who have discovered NPD for the first time, and immediately decided to attribute it to their primary victims, rather than themselves. (If you are reading this and think I mean you, then I probably don't!) Narcissists project their own disorder onto others. They "label" others with their own problems. The reverse process happens to victims. Some people adopt the role of a professional victim. In doing so, they become self-centered, devoid of empathy and, abusive and exploitative. In other words, they become narcissists. The role of "professional victims" - ones whose existence and very identity is defined solely and entirely by their victimhood - is well researched in victimology. It doesn't make for a nice reading. These victim "pros" are often more cruel, vengeful, vitriolic, lacking in compassion and violent than their abusers. They make a career of it. They identify with this role to the exclusion of all else. It is a danger to be avoided. And this is precisely what I called "Narcissistic Contagion" or "Narcissism by Proxy". These affected entertain the (false) belief they can compartmentalize their narcissistic behaviour and direct it only at the narcissist. In other words, they trust in their ability to segregate their behaviour patterns: verbally abusive towards the narcissist - civil with others, act with malice where the narcissist is concerned - and with Christian charity towards all others. They cling to the "faucet theory". They believe that they can turn on and off their negative feelings, their abusive outbursts, their vindictiveness and vengefulness, their blind rage, their non-discriminating judgment. This, of course, is untrue. These behaviours spill over, into daily transactions with innocent others. One cannot be partly or temporarily vindictive and judgmental any more than one can be partly or temporarily pregnant. To their horror, these victims discover that they have been transmuted and transformed into their worst nightmare: into a narcissist. Narcissism is contagious and that many victims tend to become narcissists themselves: malevolent, vicious, lacking empathy, egotistical, exploitative, violent and abusive. No, they avoid the word, pretend it doesn't exist. They don't like their victims being educated and try to change the subject. They will laugh and tell you, "oh you think everyone is a narcissist." I might have to agree on that one. People with Narcissistic Personality Disorder feels that their way of thinking (the grandiosity, the abuse) is the "right" one. They actually think that they are normal, and that other people are either hypocrites or crazy. As such, they think that the entire psychology community is wrong about "denigrating" narcissism. On the other hand, they can also use NPD as an ammunition to attack others, but only when they haven't discovered that they themselves have NPD. If they have discovered their own NPD, then lo and behold, they recreate a new world where NPD is a "holy" characteristic.

They don't care. I'd say more, but it would take away from the main point: they don't care. Want me to say it again? They do not care. "Why would I a…pologize about something? If I was going to be sorry, I wouldn't have done it in the first place." OKAAAAY you ginormous narcissist. So beyond being a normal human, aren't you? Go be awesome somewhere else.

How do they feel? They feel nothing. They just walk out the door and pretend you never existed. It is the victim of a N that has to move on otherwise they just destroy you. My… husband lied to me and said he needed to think about our marraige and came back 2 weeks later and said he was not coming back. In those 2 weeks he was dating another woman, and had been for 6 months. He blamed me for everything. he lied about everything in our marriage and in his eyes it was all my fault. Now i have PTSD and seeing a clinical psychologist to help me over it. They dont care, they move on without guilt. So be in no doubt, just get help from friends and family, dont take the blame for anything and get on with your life. Its not easy, but you will get there.

They hate birthdays,theirs or anybody else ,even from their kids... Yes they do hate them. Birthdays remind them they are getting older. They are peter pans, always young, in…fantile, their inner selves stuck at age six. They morn the lost of youth, the lost of looks as they gaze into their beloved mirror. They don't enjoy their kids b/ds much either. For a start its a day that's not all about them (and they hate that. They are notoriously bad gift givers, usually giving cheap tat or something of theirs they don't want or that's broken.

No wonder this question hasn't been answered - it's a paradox. First off, a narcissist is unlikely to be looking at a site dedicated to narcissistic abuse. Secondly, narcissis…ts only 'love' themselves!! So look up the meaning of narcissistic abuse and you'll see the meaning of love to a narcissist.

NO. Narcissists brains have been shown to lack the capacity for genuine empathy & emotion. Lonely is an emotion they can't feel. I don't think they get lonely in the normal s…ense as they simply couldn't care less about others. They do NOT love anyone ( but themselves) However, most do desperately NEED others. They need the attention, admiration. They like to be looked after, pandered to, babied. After all their emotional intelligence is of clever a six year old. They need others to drain dry, they need N supply.

It is due to the fact that they only care for themselves and they might think you aren't good enough. Get over it, since you are obviously scared they might try to get revenge… for you not thinking they are good enough. But it is not in a narcissist's nature to harm, since that would be deemining themselves. KthxBye

Well it is not clear..after 10 years and many trials i dumped my N...first he was struggling and asking not to do that with him , when he noticed how determined i was , he sta…rted to offend the way am behaving and tried to devaluate me by attacking my behavior...told him to meet for a 10 min coffee cup ..with grandiosity he mumbled that hos coffee cup lasts two hours and that i cannot throw such a decision anyhow..blabla....now after 3 month...he still behave same ... Though no contact with him ...but can see he checks on me on whatsapp each two min if i don't open it for days ...when i do... He stops and act indifferently and even dont open it at all...i think twisted as they are ... There will come the time they will regret or wonder why u took that initiative..they are simply perfect and did nothing wrong ... They will come back...bewaree snd be ready...mine after teo years of relationship...split and xame back after six years tortured me for two bew years....he will be back when he runs out of supply